The Number

They say that weight is just a number. So why is that number so important to us? I can feel great about myself one day, my outfits just right, I’m getting along with my friends, everything is wonderful. Then, I happen to get on the scales, just to check it out. And bam! My day is ruined because of three little number flashing up at me from the digital screen beneath my feet. I’m not quite sure why we’re so invested in what the scales read or why we let ourselves be defined by our weight. If you’ve listened to me blab before, you know that I feel a lot of the pressure we place on ourselves to be thin is caused by the media and society as a whole. But, I’m not going to talk about that this time. No matter what the cause, we all care somewhat about our weight. And as wonderful as it would be to live a world where we all just loved our bodies, it is unrealistic to expect anyone to just forget about their weight completely ands never step foot on another scale again. What I am going to talk about is healthy, smart ways to use the scales to your benefit.

1. Make sure that your weight loss goal is manageable. Use a scientific height weight chart to calculate what your medically ideal weight is. Do not attempt to weigh something under that range. It is unrealistic and unhealthy.


2. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are working out to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the number you see on the scale may not be representative of the progress you are making.


3. Do not weight yourself everyday! This is important because the body’s weight naturally fluctuates slightly from day to day. The change you see on the scale may simply be a slight change in water weight. Weight yourself no more than once a week to get an accurate gage of your progress.


4. Remember, that you are not a number. Stay motivated and try not to let the scales define you. Rather, use other factors to measure your self worth. Your intelligences, your physical strength, your perseverance, and your personality are all things that define you much better than a scale ever could.